Vanity and Arrogance
by Jade Spiral
Summary: Remy Wells works at the Central library. After a certain event, she unwillingly becomes involved with Ed and Al's search for the stone. Peril and misery are at every corner they turn. Remy wanted adventure, she got it. Slight Ed/oc. Manga-verse.


**Untitled**

Edward Elric. The famous alchemist. People gossiped about him all the time, especially in central. So you'd have to be deaf to not have heard of him. The stories about him led me to believe that he was an amazing, talented, one-of-a-kind, alchemic child prodigy. I never imagined him being such a tiny _runt _of a prodigy though.

Which is why I thought the kid in the armor was the full metal alchemist at first.

They had walked into central headquarters just as I was leaving to deliver some files to the central library. I was in a slight daze from working overtime, and I wasn't paying attention as the large door I was about to open_ flew_ open with amazing speed and collided right into my face.

I fell to the ground with a thousand papers flying everywhere around me. I brought my hand to my face as I felt something hot and sticky running from my nose. I was bleeding. Perfect.

I looked up, expecting help from the jerk that caused this unnecessary injury already running done the hall with a large suit of armor clanking along behind him. Apparently, they hadn't even noticed. Needless to say, I was _pissed._

"Hey, stop!" I shouted at them, refusing to let them get away with out at _least _apologizing. The armor turned around to see where the command came from. He shouted at the blonde that still proceeded to run, to come back. The voice in the armor was surprisingly child-like, in that the person inside should have been huge to fit such armor.

"I'm sorry, do you want some help?" I gaped at the figure as he approached me, trying to restrain a twitch from my eye in anger.

"Yeah, you broke my nose!" I might have been exaggerating, just a little.

"I…I did?" the stranger seemed to only just realize what happened, but was a little wary of me in my current disposition.

"Yes," I replied, "when you and your buddy over there opened the door." My voice seethed with annoyance. Especially since the short blonde one just shot down the hall, around the corner and out of sight. I pointed this out to the metal man. He jolted around at this information and began to quickly walk away after him.

"I'm sorry; I would help, but my brother…" It seemed he couldn't come up with a good response, so with that the armor took off to follow, leaving me on the floor with a bloodied nose and papers everywhere. I stared blankly at the retreating suit, stunned into outraged silence.

~*~

"Where the hell do you get off, Coronal?" Edward shouted with fury as he burst through yet another door, luckily no one else was there to smash their face into it.

"I hardly think that's any of your business, full metal." The Coronal replied in a cool, amused tone. He leaned back in his stately chair and smirked, hands folded pleasantly in his lap.

It was much too easy to get a rise out of the prodigy, and the Coronal's inappropriate joke seemed to do just that. Fists clenched the young alchemist approached the desk of his superior.

"Please enlighten me Ed, what are you so angry about this time?"

"Don't play dumb! You sent us to that town saying there would be a lead involving the stone! Nothing was there but hot sand and hot air!" Edward's eyebrow twitched with frustration.

"Honestly Ed, I figured you should be used to hot air by now. Seeing as your head is full of it. And I shouldn't have to remind to keep you're voice down when talking about the stone." The Coronal's eyes narrowed slightly as he mentioned the stone. He leaned forward and rested his still folded hands on top of the desk.

"What was that? Argh, you sent me there to get rid of me, I know it. What did you send me away for? You're not telling me something and it pisses me off!" _perceptive. _The Coronal heaved a heavy sigh, and leaned back in his seat once more.

"I have some papers being sent back to the Central library. The messenger who left with them shouldn't have gotten too far, if you hurry you might catch her. The papers have some information on scar's whereabouts, if you're interested, I would start moving." The blonde arched his eyebrows. _He's trying to distract me. _Just then, the large suit of armor came bustling through the door.

"Brother! You have to be more careful, that girl was bleeding!" the armor exclaimed.

"What girl, Al?" Edward's eyes widened marginally when he remembered seeing a girl with a bloodied nose before he turned the corner for the Coronal's office. Edward turned back to face Mustang.

"What did that messenger look like?" Edward was successfully distracted for the time being, and the Coronal smirked inwardly.

"You can't expect me to remember what every girl who walks through my office looks like, full metal." At that the younger alchemist arched his eyebrow a second time and gave the Coronal a dirty look. Mustang gave a short chuckle and proceeded to tell them the description.

"She has shoulder length black hair, a tiny mole on the right side of her forehead, around 5 foot 4, and is wearing a brown jacket."

"Brother that sounds like the girl you hit." Al responded in a hushed tone.

With a growl Edward turned and sprinted down the hallway, the armor quickly following after. Leaving an entirely amused Coronal to smirk after their forms had left.

~*~

I tried not to make any eye contact with anyone as I walked back towards Central library. I could tell I was getting weird looks from my disheveled appearance. My hair was a mess, bits of tissue stuffed into my nostrils, trying my best to keep hold of the disorganized papers that I had made such a mess of, and not to mention the dark aura seeping off me. '_Well, I didn't make this mess'_ I thought as my mind retreated back to thinking of the strange armor and that blonde kid.

They had better been saving someone's life to not even come back help me. I had reached the entrance to the Central library as I heard the familiar sound of clanking armor. Eyes narrowed and my temper flying even higher (if that was possible) I swiftly turned to face the perpetrators. The blonde one raced up the steps of the library and slowed to a stop as he stood before me. The metal one was right behind him.

The kid looked out of breath while the one in armor seemed perfectly fine. _That's weird. He was running just as fast…_I quickly forgot about it though, as I summed up the kid in front of me and my eyes softened. _He must have chased after me from headquarters…he really must feel sorry to do something like that._ My anger subsided for a moment.

"Are you okay kid?" I saw his golden eye twitch, and I surmised he didn't like being called a kid. I smirked inwardly.

"I'm fine. I need to see those files you're holding." He said, reaching out a gloved hand expectantly. I blinked.

"You ran all the way here for these files?" I spoke in monotone, so as not to betray my rising fury.

"Yes, hand them over."

"Brother try to be a little nicer, and you should apologize for earlier." The one in metal spoke again. It was then that I remembered hearing about the full metal alchemist. They wouldn't call him 'full metal' for nothing. And they seemed to know what these files held. Only people in the military would have knowledge of that. _I _didn't even know what these papers held.

I turned to the armor and gave him a hard glare. "I expected the Full Metal alchemist to be a little nicer to people, after all the stories I've heard about you. Frankly, I'm very disappointed. Your brother doesn't seem to be any better either." It was then that I felt a cold, dark aura coming from behind me where the younger brother was.

"Ah, no, I'm not the full metal alchemist, my brother is." He pointed to the blonde behind me and I turned to face him again. For a second I was caught off guard. _This shorty is the Full Metal alchemist?_

"I don't believe it. Why is your name Full Metal? A big name for someone so small. It doesn't make much…" Before I could finish the little guy exploded in rage.

"I am not a kid, and I am _not_ short! And if you don't hand over those files I'll give you something to really complain about!" My eyes widened in surprise at the ferocity of the kid. He didn't seem much younger than me, but he was a child none the less. I shot him a glare once my shock went away. I had a snappy retort ready, but something in the back of my mind told me it would get me nowhere. I breathed in and out to release some frustration. I didn't like unnecessary quarrels.

"Let me see your identification." The files were only to be seen by those with certification. I'm a delivery girl for the library, and I'm told to be careful with impersonators when carrying certain files.

The Full Metal alchemist seemed to ease up with my resignation, and took out his pocket watch for me to identify. It was genuine, so I gave him the files. This didn't mean I wasn't still upset for earlier.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you earlier, is there anything we can do?" The armor spoke again. I brought my hand up to my bloody tissue stuffed nose and thought about it. I thought about asking for money, but I couldn't bring myself to. It didn't seem right. _Damn myself for not being able to milk a situation for all its worth. _

"No, forget about it. No use crying over spilt milk. I didn't catch your name though." The armor chuckled; it had a pleasant, clean sounding laugh, which seemed to ebb away my displeasure.

"It's Alphonse, but everyone calls me Al." it raised a metal arm to shake my hand. I shook it firmly; a little relieved someone cared enough to apologize. I was about to ask him why he wore such armor when the little one spoke.

"My name is-" I cut him off before the shorty could finish.

"I didn't ask for _your _name, runt." Oh yes, normally, I wouldn't act this way towards someone, but I got the feeling the guy was overdue for some of his own medicine.

"Look, I'm sorry for accidentally hitting you. It was an _accident_, Remy." I gaped at him. He knew my name? I'd never mentioned it around them, how would he know-

"You're name tag." He pointed to my tag located on my brown jacket. He must have noticed what should have been a subtle shocked expression. I blushed from slight embarrassment.

"Al, lets go, we're done here." Al nodded his metal encased head and said his apology a second time. They took off before I could say anything else, so I watched them retreat, my temper now replaced with annoyance and mild intrigue.

~*~

"What happened to _you_?" my boss asked me as I ran my hand through my tousled black hair. I gave him a despairing look.

"I don't want to talk about it." The old man arched an eyebrow but didn't push any further.

"Right…well, I'm gonna need you to do another late shift tonight. I've got people for the first and second floor, but no one is available for the restricted floor." My jaw dropped in disbelief.

"I did that last night! How are you expecting me to stay awake for night duty?" I exclaimed. It was beyond frustrating how the old man could force that on me.

"I'll double your pay."

"Ugh, fine. Damn, you know me too well old man." I was being defeated too many times today.

"Hn, and you're lucky I even let you live the way you speak to me." I smiled at him.

"Go to the restroom and clean yourself up too. You've got blood all over your face." I pouted, adjusting the tissues stuffed in my nose. I nodded and headed off towards the restroom.

Once I got a good look at myself in the mirror, I realized I looked worse than I had thought possible. Dry splotches of blood covered my nose, my hair was tangled and messy, and my already tired grey eyes were beginning to get dark circles from stress. Oh yes, I was a real beauty. My features were bland; I had a very average face, a mole that plagued me on the right side of my forehead, and a tiny nose that didn't seem like it fit my face. I wasn't ugly, but I wasn't pretty either.

My hair was shoulder length, a little choppy from a bad hair cut my brother gave me last week, and black with brown mixed in somehow. I sighed, and turned my attention to my nose. I pinched it, but it didn't seem to hurt anymore, so it couldn't be broken or anything. I took out the bloodied tissues and waited to see if it kept bleeding. When it didn't, I took a towel and washed the remaining blood off.

I looked much better without all the blood. Sweeping my hair into a low ponytail I exited the bathroom. I glanced at the window to my side and noticed that the sun was setting.

Dread took over as I knew what was waiting for me tonight. Long hours walking around the third floor, creepy darkness, all by myself…_ugh, don't think about it so much! _

The setting sun gave the library an eerie feeling. It took on red-orange shade, and it sent an odd chill down my spine. Intuition told me it would not be a pleasant night.

**Later…**

The boss said there were about two people watching each floor. Except for the third floor, the restricted floor, which only had me. All alone. By myself. In the dark. With only a dim lantern. Tonight was screaming 'cliché horror movie!'

It's not that I haven't done night duty before, but something about tonight was making me uneasy. It felt like something would jump out at me at any moment. _Argh, damn that old man! He loves to torture me!_

If I had another person to be with, it wouldn't be so scary. Being in the dark just makes me paranoid! I keep thinking things will jump out and seeing things from the corner of my eye and hearing voices and…

I really was hearing voices. I froze where I stood, listening. They were coming from a few rows of book cases over, and I realized that it was probably just other employees. _Who were supposed to be watching their own level…_

I walked over to where I heard the voices coming from. My footsteps on the marble floor seemed to alert them, (I could hear two distinct voices) and I turned the corner to where they should be.

I was startled for a minute when I didn't find other employees, but a tall busty woman with long dark hair. I'd never seen this woman anywhere within the library before, and then I noticed her companion. I narrowed my eyes. What was that jerk doing in the library so late? It's supposed to be closed, shouldn't he know that?

"Excuse me, but the library is closed for this evening." I stated, glaring at the golden eyed boy. Edward Elric really seemed to like getting on my nerves.

"Hmm, yes, well, maybe you can help us find something and then we'll be on our way. Some files were supposed to be delivered here earlier today but we can't seem to find them. It's very important that we get them." The tall woman spoke. Suspicion oozed off me. There was something very _off _about her.

"Er, what are the files under?"

"I'm not sure, but they were delivered from Coronal Roy Mustang's office, if that helps." Edward spoke up. I eyed him very strangely. He already had those files, why is he asking for them?

"But you already have those files, you took them from me earlier, don't you remember?" Edward looked surprised, and then took on an eerie grin.

"Looks like we're too late Lust, he beat us to them." Suddenly, Edward sounded like a completely different person. My eyes widened in surprise when 'Edward' transformed into a taller, paler, and much odder appearance. I took several steps backward, not looking away from the strangers.

"That boy, does he have a death wish? He's more trouble than he's worth." The woman spoke again. _I knew today would be bad, I knew it! What are these people?! _Seeming to notice my shock they turned to face me. I couldn't seem to breathe I was so terrified.

"Well, what should we do with her?" The green haired one spoke, and the woman sighed an uninterested sigh, and started walking in the other direction.

"Do what you will; I'm heading back to headquarters. Father won't be happy about this." She said as she walked through the shadows and out of sight.

My hands were trembling and I couldn't think straight. The imposter in front of me smiled a sickening smile and walked towards me. _I'm gonna die! Why? Why is this happening to me? What about my brother? What will he do without me? My brother…_

With that thought I broke out of my immobility and threw my lantern at the stranger. It broke on his face, splattering hot wax and glass all over him. I didn't wait long to make a run for it. Without my lantern I couldn't see where I was going so I stretched my hand out in front of me hoping I wouldn't run into something. I could hear whatever it was screaming behind me and I could tell it was running after me furiously so I ran faster.

I thought I was nearing the staircase when I suddenly couldn't feel anything beneath my feet. Before I could grab something to stop myself, I was tumbling quickly down a harsh marble staircase. I felt myself hit a wall and I knew I'd reached a landing. There was so much pain, I couldn't think. Everywhere, _everywhere, _there was pain.

I could hear someone laughing, and their footsteps walking away as I lay still on the floor in agony. There was a scream, such an agonizing scream, that it could only be me. It seemed like hours that I lay on that floor, in all that pain. I was beginning to black out and I tried to fight through darkness in my own mind, but it soon took over, and I knew nothing else.

~*~

When I woke up, I was blinded by white lights. I was someplace comfortable and warm. I was in a daze and couldn't see my surroundings properly. I felt a presence to my right and I noticed a sleeping man resting his head on the bed I was resting on. His hair was dark brown and he was quite young looking. It could only be one person.

"Brother…?" my voice was raspy and quiet. He didn't wake so I patted his head with my hand. That's when I noticed I was covered as far as I could see in bandages. Then the pain came flooding back. I gasped, strangling a cry in my throat. My brother must have noted the change, and he woke up.

"Remy! Remy, thank god! I thought…I…are you in pain? Nurse! Nurse!" He shouted out the door, and a woman in white came bustling in with a large needle. I cringed.

"Brother, what happened? Why am I here?" I stared at him with big eyes. He looked confused himself.

"Don't you remember? They found you all bloodied and beaten at the bottom of a staircase. You don't remember _anything_?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

I thought back for a second. "I remember…falling…oh! There were people there! A woman and…Edward Elric…" My memory was fuzzy and fading out. I struggled to remember something, I was missing an important factor, but it was all I could think of.

"Ugh, that's all I can remember. I'm sorry." He shook his head and smiled.

"Don't be. I'm just grateful you're alright. You're a miracle, you know that? Numerous broken bones, a concussion, bruises, scrapes and scratches all over you, you look a wreck, Remy." He half laughed half sobbed. Guilt came over me. His handsome face looked like it hadn't slept nearly at all. His light grey eyes betraying him.

"Do me a favor and don't let me look in a mirror, okay Noah?" I pleaded, trying to ease the tension in him. He laughed.

"Alright, but umm…you really might have damaged your head. Edward _Elric,_ Remy?" I blinked. What, he didn't believe me?

"What's that supposed to mean? I saw him, he was there! I know there's something important that I'm forgetting, but I'm certain he was there! And some broad too, she had long dark hair and really large boobs." He gave me a strange expression. I looked at him.

"What's with that expression?"

"You don't talk like a girl should, Rem. I'm just noticing that." I gave him an exasperated face.

"Well _excuse _me, you jerk. I was attacked and fell down some really hard stairs and you expect me to be in a 'oh, I'm so girly and helpless' type of mood?" he just kept laughing. _Jerk. _

The nurse left after injecting me with the morphine, and Noah took on a serious face once more.

"I think you should try hard to remember what happened to you Remy, because one of the higher ranks was around here earlier wanting to ask you some questions." This surprised me.

"Why? Who was it?"

He shook his head. "I didn't ask his name. He just asked if you were awake for questioning and I told him no, so he'll probably be back sometime soon."

"Er, when was this?" I was afraid of his answer. If I had been out for more than a day, I was going to be highly annoyed. The boss better pay me for sick leave. Considering this was his entire fault in the first place.

"Umm, about two days ago, but you've been out for four, Rem." My eyes bulged. Damn that old man!

I grimaced. The sunlight gleamed through the window on my right, and I squinted. Noticing this, my brother got up from his chair and closed the curtains, leaving the room in a much preferable darker atmosphere. It must have been well into the afternoon. _Great, I slept away four and a half days here. _

"How did you ever survive without me for that long, Noah?" I joked, he smiled at me.

"That's easy, I didn't. Don't ever do anything to scare me like that again, Remy. Think of mom and dad. They wouldn't want you to get hurt." I looked down, avoiding his gaze. My fists clenched up.

"You had to bring up mom and dad didn't you? I'm tired of thinking of what _they _would have wanted. It's my life, let me live it." Frustration and anger became the tone of my voice. Noah's eyes seem to sadden a bit when I said this and I immediately regretted it.

"But you almost _died _Remy…" his voice was quiet, barely audible.

"But I didn't. I'm right here, living, breathing, and talking to you." I waved my arms around wildly, setting off all sorts of new pains.

"Just…be more careful with yourself. You still too young to-" but he was cut off by a knock on the door. I didn't look up from my sheets as Noah opened the door for the visitor.

"It looks like she's awake now. You wouldn't mind leaving the room for a few minutes would you?" Coronal Mustang had just entered my room, followed by Lieutenant Hawkeye. I never knew them personally, I just ran errands to and from the library and they happened to be one of the people I did so for. My eyes widened in surprise once again.

"She just woke up not twenty minutes ago, Sir! Please give her more time to rest. Her mind is still a little fuzzy." My brother pleaded. Mustang shook his head.

"I just have a few questions. I'll only be a minute. Please wait in the hall." My brother glanced at me and I nodded my head to assure him it was fine. With that, Noah left the room.

"Now, Ms. Wells, do you recall anything that happened the night you were injured?" Mustang asked my as he took the seat my brother had previously been sitting in.

"I…remember a tall dark haired woman with large, umm…with a large chest. The light was dim so I couldn't make out too much detail, but I'm certain she had a tattoo on her chest." I pointed to the spot where I remembered seeing what I thought was a tattoo. The Coronal nodded as if agreeing with me.

"The other thing that really got me though was Edward Elric. I know, I'm _certain _he was with her. He was asking for the files that you had me deliver to the library earlier that day, but the thing is he already had them. He got to them before I had even entered the library. Other than that, the only thing I remember is falling down the stairs." The Coronal's face seemed surprised at this information, Hawkeye's too.

"You think Edward Elric was the one who attacked you? You don't think it couldn't have been someone else?" I thought about this for a second. My memory was dark as I tried to sift through details. Then, almost immediately, I remembered the important part I had forgotten.

"It wasn't him! It was someone else! But, it looked just like him at first. Then I remember his voice changing, and his appearance changed altogether! I thought I was having a nightmare…" I rushed through these words, the memory of it all flooding back to me. I started to tremble.

The Coronal noticed this and nodded to his lieutenant.

"Thank you. That's all we needed." He stood up to leave. I panicked, I was still terrified of that thing, what if it came back to finish the job?!

"Wait! What if comes back to finish me off? It was trying to kill me! It nearly did! What the hell was it?" my eyes wide and scared, searched his face for any sign of emotion. It remained blank and calculating.

"I will assign someone to watch over you. But I think the safest thing for you to do is to forget what you saw that night." With that, he turned his back and exited, Hawkeye following. I breathed in and out to calm myself down. I leaned back into my bed closing my eyes. Images of that imposter (for lack of a better name) plagued my mind.

"Remy, are you alright?" My brother had entered the room again. I nodded my head. I felt sleep coming over me, and not complaining, I succumbed.

~*~

**Well, I hoped you thought it was alright. I don't want this story to be all romancy but instead more of a action/adventure type thing, with romance laced in. Yes, I know the OC/Ed pairing isn't very popular, and I'm not a big fan of OC pairings either, but I felt it would be easier for me to write this way. I'm trying my damndest to make sure Remy doesn't turn into a mary sue. I'm also making her as far from my personality as I can. Is it irony that my name is Mary?**

**Please review. Constructive criticism is much appreciated, flames are not, and reviews in general will greatly improve on when the next chapter is out. SO PLEASE REVIEW!!**

**Also, a drawing of Remy can be seen on a link in my profile. **


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